HF 1538

1st Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) Posted on 03/17/2025 04:21pm

A bill for an act
relating to workforce development; appropriating money for teacher
apprenticeships; requiring a report.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS; TEACHER APPRENTICESHIPS.
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new text begin (a) $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the
workforce development fund to the commissioner of education for registered apprenticeships
for teachers. Of these amounts, $....... each year is for a joint apprenticeship training
committee to administer an apprenticeship program leading to teacher licensure. This is a
onetime appropriation.
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new text begin (b) To be eligible for funding under this section, a joint apprenticeship training committee
must include the following members from throughout Minnesota:
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new text begin (1) school districts or cooperative units under Minnesota Statutes, section 123A.24,
subdivision 2;
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new text begin (2) teacher preparation program providers approved by the Professional Educator
Licensing and Standards Board;
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new text begin (3) superintendents, principals, or other school administrators;
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new text begin (4) licensed teachers; and
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new text begin (5) exclusive representatives, as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 179A.03,
subdivision 8, of teachers.
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new text begin (c) Funding must be used to develop or implement a registered apprenticeship program
with the following five components:
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new text begin (1) involvement by school districts or cooperative units to ensure apprentices develop
the skills needed to be effective teachers;
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new text begin (2) structured on-the-job training from an experienced mentor;
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new text begin (3) related instruction from a teacher training program approved by the Professional
Educator Licensing and Standards Board;
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new text begin (4) increases in wages for participants as they gain higher skill levels; and
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new text begin (5) a sequence of training and instruction resulting in a Tier 3 license issued by the
Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board.
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new text begin (d) A joint apprenticeship training committee that receives funding under this section
must:
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new text begin (1) review guidelines for teacher apprenticeship programs developed by other Minnesota
apprenticeship programs and other states with existing registered apprenticeship programs;
and
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new text begin (2) consider how apprenticeship programs may be used to fill identified shortages of
licensed teachers.
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new text begin (e) The commissioner of education must consult with the commissioner of labor and
industry and the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board to:
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new text begin (1) determine criteria for awarding funding under this section;
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new text begin (2) establish oversight over the registered teacher apprenticeship programs; and
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new text begin (3) develop recommendations for the legislature to improve the effectiveness of teacher
apprenticeship programs as a pathway to teacher licensure.
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new text begin (f) The commissioner of education must report to the legislative committees with
jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education, higher education, and workforce
development on how teacher apprenticeship program funding was used and recommendations
for statutory or rule changes to facilitate improvement and expansion of teacher
apprenticeship programs as a pathway to teacher licensure.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2025.
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